Classic Poem

MADE BY SIR PHILIP SYDNEY, NEVER YET PUBLISHED, UPON HIS
MEETING WITH HIS TWO WORTHY FRIENDS AND FELLOW-POETS, SIR
EDWARD DYER AND M. FULKE GREVILLE .

Join mates in mirth to me,
Grant pleasure to our meeting;
Let Pan, our good god, see
How grateful is our greeting.
Join hearts and hands, so let it be,
Make but one mind in bodies three.

Ye Hymns, and singing skill
Of God Apollo's giving,
Be prest our reeds to fill
With sound of music living.
Join hearts and hands, &c.

Sweet Orpheus' harp, whose sound
The stedfast mountains moved,
Let here thy skill abound,
To join sweet friends beloved.
Join hearts and hands, &c.

My two and I be met,
A happy blessed trinity,
As three most jointly set
In firmest band of unity.
Join hands, &c.

Welcome my two to me, E.D. F.G. P.S.
The number best beloved,
Within my heart you be
In friendship unremoved.
Join hands, &c.

Give leave your flocks to range,
Let us the while be playing;
Within the elmy grange,
Your flocks will not be straying.
Join hands, &c.

Cause all the mirth you can,
Since I am now come hether,
Who never joy, but when
I am with you together.
Join hands, &c.

Like lovers do their love,
So joy I in you seeing:
Let nothing me remove
From always with you being.
Join hands, &c.

And as the turtle Dove
To mate with whom he liveth,
Such comfort fervent love
Of you to my heart giveth.
Join hands, &c.

Now joined be our hands,
Let them be ne'er asunder,
But linked in binding bands
By metamorphosed wonder.
So should our severed bodies three
As one for ever joined be.